Polyarteritis nodosa: decreasing incidence in Poland

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Vascular Inflammation

Background:

• Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is an orphan disease with limited epidemiological data in Poland.
• Hospital morbidity databases are crucial for epidemiological analysis.
• This study offers a Polish perspective for European comparative analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the incidence of polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) in Poland.
• To analyze trends in PAN incidence between 2008 and 2013.
• To compare Polish PAN incidence with European data.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective, population-based study utilizing Polish hospital discharge records (2008-2013).
• Identified 557 patients with first-time hospitalizations for PAN.
• Incidence calculated using data from the National Institute of Public Health.

Main Results:

• The study included 557 patients (36.3% males, 63.7% females) with a median age of 53.
• Average annual PAN incidence in Poland was 2.4 per million.
• A significant decrease in PAN incidence was observed from 3.3 to 1.9 per million (p < 0.001) between 2008 and 2013.

Conclusions:

• PAN incidence in Poland (2.4 per million) is comparable to other European countries.
• A declining trend in PAN incidence was noted from 2008-2013.
• The decrease may be linked to environmental, infectious (hepatitis B), or other factors, warranting further investigation.